Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-13
Miss Alcott on the Ballet.
E,orn he Rostan Trnnscrtpt.

I 81 ON me Boston Transcript
| AS the subject OF the ballet has been
recently brought before the public and
| much private discus sion has followed,
desire to enter my protest, with that of
my friends, against the Introduction of
| indecent dances into otherwise unobjec-
tionable spectacies for the young.
| Last Saturday afternoon party OF
| little girls were taken to see "The Rat
! charmer," the pretty story of "The Pied
! Piper'' being considered q pleasant and
! proper one for children TO enjoy. The
| play itself was harmless, the tuneiul
| charmer well acted, the rats and peasant
! children highly satisfactory, but the bal
| let SpOilG the entertainment for more
! than one party, as was plainly shown by
| the disgust Of the ladies and the com.
ments OF the children. Young rs they
were, the ages of our three ranging from
| I 10 10, the instincts of these buds of
women were quick to see and feel the i'm
! modesty of "the PINK ladies'" who didn't
| nave enough clothes on, and kicked
about in the improperest way before ever
| 81 many men,"
The innocent amazement of these babes
| was not the worst feature OF the case,
| however. A row of lads just in front
| were evidently taking their first lesson
| in modern morals, and the grins, nudges
| aud remarks OF these boys were sad
/
the blindness of public opinion, the folly
of trying to keep boys clean-minded when
| such temptations are set before them and
| iudOrsed by their elders.
! Tue fOcks OF girls eating candy all
| about us and surveying the most auda-
| ciOus poses of the ballet with calm inter-
| est made it impossible to help wondering
what sort OF wives and mothers they
would become ii at Ii they could see,
| without b,ushing, several hundred half
| naked girls prance before them, as In the
BLACK Crook" could laugh at the vulgar
| wit OF that silieBt of all plays, ''Adonis,"
and troop eagerly to see Camille, the
cOurtesan, die In lace and white cash
| mere,
The ministers, when asked their opin-
| ion on this subject, either condemned the
stage entirely, protested utter ignorance
| OF the ballet, or approved it, and the mat
| ter dropped, as so often before. to tue
| great disappointment Of many anxious
parents woo hoped that these keepers of
souls would maufully wage war against
one of the crying evils Of the day.
TherefOrei it becomes such persons as are
interested in public morals and the guar
dianship Of the young 10 take up the
question, and try 10 purify the stage OF
this abomipation, making it what 1t
should be, a source of instruction as we'll
ar pleasure. Let the managers who get
| up these brilliant spectacles remember
principle as well as profit, and provide
harmless plays for young and old, with
less glitter and more decency, fewer false
wives and raksh husbands; wholesome
home scenes, not dress parades and poor
acting. The good old fairy plays always
| drew Joshua Whitcomb' fills any
house, md the Rivals" still enjoys a
green old age. In Heavens name, then,
let the playwrights fall to and give ue
something sweet, and true to human ma.
ture, or let there be brought back the
best dramas OF other days 10 teach US
| what 10 likeI
Let the parents VINO are responsible to
God for the children they bring into the
world look we'll to their own ways, to dc
all tAat ia them lies to make IL d sale home
for these innocents, and set examples fl
to be followed, lest, when the wild oats
are sOwed, the sad harvest will bring
them toe bltteTest remorse.
This is a matter in which women may
properly move, since they rule society
are liberal patrons OF the theatre, and uni
versslly allowed TO be by sex, education
and the grace OF God the most moral hal
OF creation. Dear mothers, sisters anC
teachers, let the cults you love 60 for 6
| little while, aGd, taking hint IRON
BrOwulng's Innocent Pippa rs she passes
unharmed through scenes Of love and sill
ana O6dLus uGlD W htSll bhtSC AlbbiS Aliii
of ours as safe through Ignorance as sh,
was, and able to sing with her
''God is in His Heaven,
AL is well with the world"
AS they 20 about the wholesome worl
| and play fitted TO their years. or, learnius
from the heather Buddha that chastity il
one OF the cardinal virtues which shal
| bring a mans soul safe TO Nirvaua in the
end, see that your sons be not tempted tC
forget it by these allurements OF the flesh
These boys and girls are TO be the pa.
rents OF the coming generation the makers
OF the happiness Of home, the honor OF the
city, the prosperity of the State we are 80
! proud OF. Let us remember this aud be.
gin early to make them virtuous az well
as brave and beautiful; TO teach them
that the true conduct OF life is the highest
culture, and that wise Legislation which
nIps vice In tho bud is a better economy
7 than building prisons ana hospitals 10
| heal and reform souls and bodies when
might have been saved by care before ig-
norance aud temptation ruined them.
Cease demonstrating against the with
| holuinX rights so many OF us are not yet
ready to use aud earnestly profit by one
| OF the few conceded 10 us. 10 what you
! are ~ often called, the good angels OF
| home, tho keepers OF mems consctences,
| the mothers OF the race, and do your duty
| In this matter, both for the SAKE Of your
! own children and those poorer ones VINO
| laad "A dnuVerOtts lie for their daily bread